lounging around on the Amalfi Coast

From Naples we drove (brave people that we are) down to the Amalfi Coast. We rented an apartment just outside of Positano, so our first order of business was to meet up with the landlord and squeeze our car into one of the more impossible parking spots I’ve ever seen, perched on a small cliff next to a boulder and through a teeny tiny gate. Then from the main road we walked through another gate and down a wandering staircase to our apartment which was built into the wall of the cliff. The glass walls of the kitchen and living room retracted until the rooms were practically outside. The view alone was enough to keep us entertained for weeks.

We rented the apartment through Summer in Italy. I was a little nervous about having to pay for the stay in full before we even arrived, but the apartment was absolutely delightful. I highly recommend the rental agency, and would happily use them again.

We cooked many of our meals at the apartment (cooking in Italy is a delight thanks to the amazing fresh veggies and cheeses available), with the big exception being a splurge of a dinner at the Michelin-starred La Caravella in the town of Amalfi. The atmosphere was a bit stuffier than I would have liked, but the food was absolutely delicious. It was creative yet stood on the strength of the superb ingredients – a dollop of the finest buffalo ricotta or a perfectly-prepared tender shrimp. The menu (as most in this region) was predominantly fish, but the vegetarian options were also carefully constructed. The meal ended with a curious spoonful of chocolate-coated fried eggplant.

Amalfi was still in full Christmas swing, with Christmas concerts in the church and nativity scenes all over town, especially in the fountains. There were also elaborate nativity scenes along the coastal road which stay up all year long.

We had weather ranging from warm and sunny to pouring rain and stormy. We spent the last day of 2009 on the beach, and then watched from our balcony as said beach disappeared into the churning waves the next day. The sunsets were amazing every single night.

I am a huge fan of off-season travel, and this trip was no exception. There was plenty going on to celebrate Christmas and New Year’s, but there were no giant crowds of tourists jockeying for position. Many hotels and restaurants were closed for the season, but the charm of the area was still out in full view.